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SAMPOORNA SANGEET MELA
Sampoorna Sangeet Mela 2002 is the 8th Festival of Indian
Music and Dance. The Mela is following in two traditions,
the tradition of the British National Federation of Festivals
of Music, Speech and Dance and the Festival tradition of India.
Competition in the arts has a history that is documented
back to Greek contests in 586 BC but in Britain the first
contest is generally acknowledged to be the 1872 festival
in Workington. Festivals held in rural districts formed an
association for competition festivals in 1904, and those in
urban areas held their own conference in 1920. Federation
between these two groups took place in 1921.
As far back as the middle ages there are stories of duels
between the great musicians of the Moghul courts of India.
The modern Festival tradition of music and dance began in
earnest in the thirties with competitions held regularly in
different cities. The competitions held in Allahabad at the
University and Prayag Sangit Samiti were truly on an 'all
India' basis. Today competitions are also held by State Governments,
All India Radio and important business houses to promote music
and dance.
Music and Dance are creative performing arts, and learning
to perform, as opposed to playing and dancing for oneself,
is an art that cannot be learned without the opportunity to
produce one's art in front of an audience. In 1923, one of
the federation delegates suggested that the purpose of competitions
was to "make the singers not beat each other but pace
each other on the road to excellence".
Adjudicators are very experienced teachers and performers
who will be looking for the strengths of the performers, and,
if necessary, pointing out areas which may be improved to
help them onto 'this road to excellence'. Because they have
themselves, grown up through the system, they are very aware
of the feelings of the performers, and look to support, not
humiliate.
Sampoorna Sangit Mela was set up in 1992 and is a project
of Pandit Ram Sahai Sangit Vidyalaya (PRSSV), a charitable
trust. The trust runs several educational projects and projects
in which the arts are for entertainment and includes activities
with clear cross-cultural and inter-cultural aims. The main
work of the trust is in the education of the public in Indian
classical music, dance and related arts.
For further information please contact:
Pandit Ram Sahai Sangit Vidyalaya 20 Brunel Close Middlesex
UB5 6RW
Carnatic
and Hindustani Syllabi
Rules,
Regulations & Notes
for individuals & institutions entering the Festival
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